1. Amnesty International JUSTICE FOR JUSTINE Student Group Action : March 2010

2. JUSTINES CASE Justine Bihamba and her family have been targeted by members of the DRC military for the work she does as the coordinator of the womens human rights organisation, Synergie des Femmes Contre les Violences Sexuelles (SFVS). The English translation of SFVS is Womens Synergy for the Victims of Sexual Violence – it is a collective of 36 womens organisations providing medical care, counselling, legal assistance, social support and income generating opportunities to women and girls who have been raped.

3. JUSTINES CASE On 18 September 2007, soldiers forced their way into Justines home whilst she was out and tied up her six children at gunpoint. One of the soldiers assaulted Justines eldest daughter, then sexually assaulted and attempted to rape another daughter. Justines 21-year-old daughter explained that her mother was out and pleaded with the soldiers to take what they wanted but not to hurt anyone. One of the soldiers replied that they had not come to steal anything, but rather were on a well-defined mission.

4. JUSTINES CASE Justine returned home whilst the attack was happening and immediately telephoned the authorities. The soldiers fled and in a subsequent search of the neighbourhood with the military police, Justine and her children identified the men. However, the military police refused to arrest the men claiming that there was no evidence against them.

5. JUSTINES CASE Justine lodged a legal complaint against the soldiers. In the following weeks and months a succession of senior army officers, the provincial governor and other officials all told Justine that justice would be done. In March 2008, the Vice-Governor promised Amnesty that he would pursue the matter, saying that it was unacceptable that those responsible should remain unpunished. Two and a half years on from the attack, however, the men have still not been arrested or brought to trial.

6. JUSTINES CASE Amnesty is calling for: The immediate protection of Justine Bihamba and her family A full and impartial investigation into the attack, including attempted rape and sexual assault, on Justines family Those responsible to be arrested, tried and brought to justice

7. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)

9. War crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in the conflict zones of eastern DRC by both government forces and armed groups. These include rape, unlawful killings, recruitment and use of children, abductions and deliberate attacks against civilian populations and humanitarian agencies.

10. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) Sexual violence has been prevalent in all areas, particularly in the conflict zones. In some situations, rape has been widespread and systematic, often committed in public and in front of families in a deliberate attempt to terrorise, demoralise, displace and punish populations. Complete statistics of the scale of rape in the DRC do not exist. But it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of women and girls in North Kivu in eastern DRC, have been subjected to sexual violence during the recent conflict.

11. UN RESOLUTIONS 1325/1820 These resolutions call for a better implementation of standards putting women at the heart of peace and reconstruction measures in conflict. Women experience conflict and human rights abuses differently to men. This means that the support they need, and the policies, measures and solutions that are proposed need to reflect womens experience. Amnesty is calling on the DRC authorities to implement UN Security Resolution 1325, which calls for the respect, protection and fulfilment of the rights of women and girls during and after conflicts.

12. ACTION 1: JUSTICE FOR JUSTINE POSTCARDS Justine and a group of activists recently met with the DRC president to discuss violence against women in conflict areas. This personal connection makes NOW the perfect time to remind him that the perpetrators of the attack on Justines family have still not been brought to justice, despite being personally identified by Justine and her family. Lets bombard President Joseph Kabila with action cards demanding Justice for Justine!

13. ACTION 1: JUSTICE FOR JUSTINE POSTCARDS Your group will have received a pack of 150 action cards Please get as many signed as possible and post them in bulk to: President Joseph Kabila, Cabinet du Président Palais de la Nation Kinshasa/Gombe République Démocratique du Congo You could collect donations for postage as you get them signed Please help us track how many cards have been sent by emailing student@amnesty.org.uk to tell us how many you send! student@amnesty.org.uk To order more free action cards call The Fulfilment Store (TFS) on 01788 545 553 and quote ref IAR053: A5 postcard Justine Bihamba

14. ACTION 2: FILM SCREENING ON CAMPUS Amnesty has produced an inspiring one hour film highlighting the terrible impact conflict is having on women and girls in the DRC. Filmed at Amnestys Student Conference in November 2009, it also includes a filmed interview with Justine Bihamba herself. Watch/download the film at http://www.vimeo.com/10007788http://www.vimeo.com/10007788 You could turn the screening into an event, or show the film on a loop. As well as raising awareness, a film screening would be a great opportunity to collect postcards and take solidarity photos.

15. ACTION 3: SOLIDARITY PHOTOS Through research missions to the DRC, we have learnt that messages of solidarity help human rights defenders, like Justine Bihamba, perform their vital work with increased safety and security. To help support Justine carry out her work with SFVS, we would like you to collect as many photos as possible showing solidarity with Justine and upload them onto Flickr: www.flickr.com/groups/bihambawww.flickr.com/groups/bihamba As well as sending Justine a link to this page, we will also create photo albums out of the best pictures and send them to Justine and to the President of the DRC.

16. ACTION 3: SOLIDARITY PHOTOS Download a Justice for Justine sign in English or French at http://www.amnesty.org.uk/student or make your own using one sheet of A4 for each letter to spell out Justice for Justine (this would be a good action for the end of the film screening). http://www.amnesty.org.uk/student Get creative with your images! Could you make the shape of the letters with your bodies and take a photo from above, be artistic with your signs, or choose unusual / iconic locations as your backdrop? Upload your photos to www.flickr.com/groups/bihamba Take the photo on your mobile and text it to 07733 134 670 Email it to amnesty.amnesty@gmail.com and we'll upload for you

17. RESOURCES Order more free postcards from The Fulfilment Store (TFS) on 01788 545 553 + quote ref IAR053: A5 postcard Justine Bihamba Get the latest info on Justine Bihambas case, plus videos of Justine, a report on the conflict in the DRC and an action at www.amnesty.org.uk/bihamba www.amnesty.org.uk/bihamba If you have any questions or want to do more email us at student@amnesty.org.uk student@amnesty.org.uk

18. JUSTICE FOR JUSTINE